Unam campuses gear up for inaugural varsity games
For the first time, the University of Namibia (Unam) will host its inter-campus tournament from 27 to 30 August, bringing together student-athletes from all 12 campuses to compete in football, mixed volleyball and netball in Windhoek.
Officially sponsored by PstBet, the inter-campus games were recently launched at the Unam Main Campus Sports Complex, where the multi-sport tournament will be held. The launch also featured the unveiling of the participating teams’ kits.
Speaking at the launch, Unam director of student affairs Matheus Haitota said the inaugural tournament forms part of the university’s Integrated Strategic Business Plan (ISBP), launched in May and set to run until 2030.
The ISBP is a comprehensive institutional roadmap designed to turn the university’s vision, mission and strategic goals into actionable service delivery.
Haitota said the university’s leadership looked at the programme to determine how it could better serve students.
“In our vision in the office, we came up with a statement that said: nothing for students unless it is led by students,” he said.
He said this became one of the driving forces behind the initiative, which aims to give student-athletes across the university’s campuses nationwide access to competition.
Haitota said the tournament is also part of Unam’s efforts to meet government halfway in promoting sport.
“We want our students across all campuses to unite and compete as one. We want to show them the value of sportsmanship and to provide leadership and personal development opportunities through sport.”
Appreciating students
Haitota acknowledged that only two of Unam’s 12 campuses have grass sports fields capable of hosting the games, including the university’s main campus in Windhoek.
However, he said the tournament forms part of efforts to ensure students with an interest in sport across the different campuses feel equally valued.
“This tournament is a clear indication that we want to build development across all campuses, and hopefully, [with the support of PstBet], we can take this tournament to the regions.”
PstBet head of marketing and operations Silva Shapwa expressed the company’s pride in partnering with the university for the tournament, describing Unam as an institution that continues to shape the country’s future leaders.
“[With this sponsorship], we’re promoting excellence inside and outside classrooms. At PstBet, we believe sport is a platform for building character, discipline, teamwork, leadership, resilience and lifelong friendships,” he said.
“As a proud Namibian company, we are committed to investing in initiatives that impact our community through sports. Supporting youth development is one of the ways to demonstrate that commitment.”
Symbol of pride
Unam student president Enrico Goseb said the unveiling of the kits represents a symbol of pride, discipline and excellence at the university.
“Every student wearing these kits carries the values of Unam and represents not only their campus, but the spirit of the institution as a whole. May this kit inspire confidence, determination and a winning mentality,” he said.
Goseb said the broader vision is to eventually take the tournament to campuses across the country and allow more students to benefit from it.
“We [also] believe there’s great value in broadening this tournament to include additional sports codes to promote inclusivity in the university community.”
Unam senior sports officer Peter Haufiku said the tournament marks the beginning of what the university hopes will become a tradition of bringing students from all 12 campuses together through sport, friendship and healthy competition.
“[At the tournament], more than 700 students will be competing in football, mixed volleyball and netball. With the mixed volleyball, there will be three men and three women on court at all times,” he said.
